ABUJA – A 16-year-old student, Ms Chimdi Neliakuchukwu, on Thursday urged the government, parents and communities to educate girl children in the country.
Neliakuchukwu is a student of International Community School, Abuja, and the President of FCT Council of Head-girls.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, she said the girl-child was an important raw material for social development.
“Any country that chooses to disregard the need to educate and empower the girl-child is making a terrible mistake.
“The empowered girl-child of today is a competent mother, a citizen moulder and a society builder of tomorrow,” she said.
Neliakuchukwu also emphasised the need for parents to insist on the education and moral upbringing of the girl-child.
“I speak to the girls in my generation, though we need formal education, we also need education in good moral values.
“We desire to be citizens with a healthy dose of Godly fear leading us to imbibe good virtues.
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“I desire on behalf of the girl-child to have our mothers and fathers put us in a position where we are given qualitative education and relevant skills that puts us on a platform of global competitive advantage,’’ she said.
The president of the council said that this could only be realised through sensitisation and deliberate projection of appropriate role models, and ensuring that the girl-child imbibed the right values.
She noted that the education of the girl-child for the purpose of social development and advancement of the nation must be planned.
According to her, it should not be arbitrarily done and must be carefully thought out, planned, and funded.
Nigeria held the 2014 Women and Girls Summit on Oct. 14, with the theme: “ Re-enforcing the Agenda for Girl-Child Education’’.
The event was in consonance with the International Girl-Child Day designated by the UN and marked on Oct. 11 annually. (NAN)
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